Pin-setting mechanism.



R. F. DOWNEY.

PIN SETTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATlON ,FILED AUG-24, 1915.

1,181,69. Patented May 2,1916.

W @Wgguevy msncaa.

RICHARD F. nownny, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

rm-snr'rme MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed August 24, 1915. Serial No. 47,021.

To all whom it may concern:

\ Be it known that I, RICHARD F. DowNEY, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have'invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Pin-Setting Mechanism; and I'do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and em ct description thereof.

My invention has for its primary object to provide simple, economicaland positive automatic pin setting mechanism for bowling games.

The arrangement'and construction of my invention contemplates theembodiment of pins having metallic base cores which are magneticallycontrolled, whereby the down pins or dead wood are cleared from aswinging setting up table by gravity, to cause the down pins to fallinto a pin receiving pit. Coincident to this dumping operation to clearthe standing pins, the latter are firmly held in their said positions byenergization of a set of magnets carried by the swinging table. Thetable is then swung back to its normal horizontal'play positionpreparatory to the second ball being rolled.

After completing the play, a second series of flexibly suspended magnetsare caused, by some/means, to drop into the pit coincident to a giratingmovement, whereby they act as feelers, and will each grip an iron shodpin and lift the same head downward, as said magnets return to theirnormal suspended position.

The suspended groupofpins. are drawn through diaphragmatic pin receivingopenings, in a reciprocative gageholder, whereby said pins are clearlypositioned in the usual V-shaped cluster by the arbitrary arrangement ofthe holder openings. The pins are thus frictionally gripped within theholder openings, to sustain their weight, and at this time, the magnetsare automatically deenergized. V

The next operation consists 1n causmg the holder to dropinto the pinreceiving pit, by

some means, to a position 111 approximate alinement with the normalhorizontal plane of the swinging table. Thus, the pins. are

now held in their correct spotted positions, but inverted. The table isthen swung, by some means, to come to rest over the holder containingthe pins, and the table magnets being energized, they will take hold ofsaid pins. As the table is swung back to its play position, theenergized magnets will grip the cores of the pins, and cause them to bewithdrawn from their frictionally engaged seats within the holders,whereby said pins are set and ready for play. After each ball is rolled,it will drop into position with rela tion to a conveyer, which conveyerwill catch and lift the balls to a proper elevation, where they aredischarged upon a track, and are returned to the player by gravity, inthe usual manner. Hence, from the foregoing brief statement of thenature of my invention, it will be understood that said invention, froma broad point of view, contemplates a swinging table with magnets, andarranged to dump the dead wood and to select the properly grouped pinsfrom a pin pit, the mechanism for accomplishing these operations beingimmaterial, as said mechanism can be combined in a variety of ways foraccomplishing the desired results.

WVith the above objects in view, my invention consists in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts as hereinafterset forth in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently claimed.

The drawings represent an exemplification of my inventiondiagrammatically, with parts broken away, and in section to more clearlyshow certain features.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents an alley, and 2, aswinging section constituting a table for the pins, the

said table being fulcrumed upon a pivot rod 3 at its rear end, aboutwhich pivot rod is mounted a tooth sector t which meshes with a secondsector 4: that is fulcrumed at 5. This gear connection receives itsmotion from a motor A that is geared to a crankshaft 6 which crankshaftis connected by a link 6 to the sector l. Just rearward of the table 2,is a pin receiving well 7, rearward of the slightly inclined floor ofthis of said holder. Motion is imparted to the table controlling belt 13by a belt gear connection 15 from a motor B. The holder is shown in itsnormal position of rest above the wall 7, and when the motor B isenergized, movement of the belt 13 will cause the holder to traveldownwardly and assume a position with its upper face upon a plane alinedwith the lower face of the swinging table 2. I

When the holder assumes its lower position just described, a plug 16carried thereby will engage contact springs 16 to close an electriccircuit a, having a magnetb therein, which circuit is arranged tocontrol one movement of a switch lever 0. Movement of the lever c in theopposite direction is controlled by a magnet b that is in a batterycircuit a, the same being normally broken by contact plates a". Thesecontact plates are closed by a bell-crank plug 17 through engagement ofone arm of said lever with a shoe 17 which is pivotally mounted to thelower face of the table 2, it being understood that the bell-crank plug17 is held in its open position as shown, by a suitable spring. When thecircuit a is closed, it will cause the lever 0 to engagecontact springs61' of a combined magnet and motor circuit d. The circuit d carrles themotor A, and a series of magnets 18, which magnets are fast in the lowerface of the table 2, and have their cores exposed at the upper facethereof. The cores of these magnets are arbitrarily arranged tocorrespond with the positions of bowling pins 19, which metallic corepieces 19 that engages the cores of the magnets 18.

' When the table 2 is in its play position, as shown in the drawing, aplug 20 that is carried by the sector 4 engages contact plates 6,whereby a motor circuit e is closed, said circuit serving as a source ofsupply to the motor B. This circuit 6 is also opened and closed by aswitch lever 7, which is adapted to engage contact plates f, and thesaid switch lever f is operated in one direction by a magnet g of acircuit g, which circuit is normally broken by spaced contact plates 9,one of the same being extended for engagement with the reciprocative pinholder 11, whereby said circuit 9 is closed momenbowling pins are shodwith tarily, just before the holder comes to its normal position ofrest, as it travels upwardly to said position. The switch lever f isoperated to close the circuit 6 by a magnet k that is in a circuit hwhich circuit is normally broken by spaced contact plates it". Thus themagnets g and it serve to make or break the motor circuit e, whichcarries the motor B. y j

A third motor 0 is also provided in the mechanism, which motor is ingear connection with a cable drum 21, and said cable drum carries aseries of metallic cables 21, which are guided over suitable sheaves,and have suspended from their lower ends, pin collector magnets 22. Thecables carrying said magnets also pass through apertures ofareciprocative grid 24, whereby the magnets are gyrated for the purposeto be hereinafter mentioned, the movement of the grid being efi'ectedthrough a crank mechanism 24 which is in belt gear connection with themotor C. Y

The motor C is controlled by an electric circuit 71, having contactbrushes 23 interrupting the same, which contact brushes engage the drum21, whereby current from the motor circuit 71 is transmitted through themetal parts of the drum and cables to the collector magnets 22. Themotor circuit i is closed, by a switch lever j, which engages contactplates 2" that form terminals of the circuit 71 the said lever 7' beingmoved to effect closure of the circuit by energization of a magnet isthat is in a circuit which circuit is manually closed by a switch la.Hence, the motor circuit 2' is closed by the magnet is, operating todraw the switch lever j in one direction, and said motor circuit z' isbroken by the influence of magnet h operating upon the lever j in theopposite direction.

The magnet h is energized by closing the circuit 71/, which closure iseffected by a wiper 25 that iscarried by one of the magnet cables 21.Hence, just before the magnets come to their normal suspended position,as shown in the drawing, the wiper 24 engages the lower plate 12/,whereby the clrcuit h is momentarily closed'as the magnets 22 come torest in their upper'position,

it being understood that these magnets are alined with the holderopenings 12 through which they pass in their travel to the pin pit.After the magnets 22 have each engaged the core of a pin 19, they arereturned by the drum which continues to wind in the same direction, butas the cables are unwound therefrom, they are re-wound by thiscontinuous motion until such time as the motor O'is cutout. i

The secondary circuit a which is utilized to energize the magnet b, isalso arranged to be closed manually by a switch Z which is connected bybranch wires Z? to the magnet 0 and battery in the circuit a. Thus thetwo manually operated circuits is and Z are positioned convenientlyaccessible to the player at the forward end of the alley.

When the parts are in the position shown in the diagram view, the pinsare spotted and the apparatus is ready for play, attention beingdirected to the fact that the motor and magnet circuit d is now broken,hence, the pins 19 are free to be knocked down when struck by the ball.When the first ballis rolled, the pins struck will fall into the pit,and come to rest in any position, and certain of said pins will underordinary conditions, drop upon the table 2. The operator now closes thecircuit a by pressing the switch Z, whereupon the switch lever c isacted upon by the magnet b to close the motor and magnet circuit d,hence, the motor starts. and the magnets 19 will simultaneously firmlygrip the pins 19 which have not been disturbed. The motor willimpart'motion to the gear sectors i a'nd 1, whereby the table 2 will beswung upon its axis at an angle sufficient to cause the down pins todrop by gravity into the pit 7, and the standing pins will in thistilting movement of the table be held firmly.

The contact shoe 17 which is carried upward by the table will have'noactive movementwith relation to the bell-crank switch plug 17, as saidshoe will swing backward in its movement. The played ball will drop to aposition against the buffer 9, whereby the conveyer 8 will engage saidball and elevate the same to a position where it will be dis chargedupon a return track 25. This move- -ment of the conveyer 8 is impartedthereto ond ball is played and discharged upon the track in the samemanner as that just mentioned. However, before the table 2 again comesto rest at the second day, the shoe 17 will contact with the bell-crankplug 17 and close the circuit a. This circuit energizes the magnet Z),whereby the motor circuit d is broken, and the pin magnets will thus bedeenergized, preparatory to the second ball being rolled.

The main operation of the mechanism is to collect the pins that have nowall accumulated in the pit 7 and it is understood that there may be asurplus of pins in said pit at all times.

If some of the pins remain standing, or remain in a downward positionupon the table 2, after the second ball has been played, the dumpingoperation of said table can be repeated. To collect pins from the well7,

preparatory to spotting the same, the opera-- tor closes the circuit isby manipulating the switch is". The magnet is being thus enerwith themetal shoes 19 of the same.

tor circuit 71, whereby the motor C is energized, and simultaneously themagnets 22. A portion of the motor circuit current will then travel fromthe brushes 23 to the drum and from thencethrough strands of the cables21 to said magnets 22, whereby they are energized, it being understoodthat the cables 21 carry insulated strands which connect the magnets andthe other ends of said cables connect the metallic drum. The motor Cthus starts to rotate the drum 21 in the direction of the arrow, and thecable connecting magnets will thereby be dropped into the bottom of thewell 7 through the openings 12 in the holder 11. Simultaneously themotor C imparts a reciprocative motion to the grid 23, whereby themagnets will be gyrated back and forth over the down pins, until suchtime as they contact In the meantime, the winding drum continues in itsmotion after the cables 21 have been entirely unwound, said cables willstart to re-wind in the opposite direction, and thus a the magnets willbe lifted gradually to the position shown in the drawing, and they willeach carry a pin 19 upward in an inverted position, as indicated indotted lines.

The pins will be partly'drawn through the openings 12 in the holder 11,and come to rest in this position, being held by the frictionalengagement with the flexible rings 12'. The wiper 25 will at this timeclose the circuit h, whereby the switch lever -7' will be shifted tobreak the motor circuit 1', and

hence the magnets. 22 will come to rest.

The energization of the magnet it will also cause the switch lever f toclose the motor circuit 6, whereby the motor B is energized and willthus, through its gear connection impart a downward movement to theholder 11, which now carries a group of pins that are spotted in theircorrect positions corresponding to the positions desired for them uponthe table 2.

The motor C which operates the -feeler magnet 22 1s provided withautomatic means for reversing the same after each complete operationcomprising the downward and upward movement of said feeler magnets.

This automatic means is of any ordinary viously described, whichunwinding, however, is in the opposite direction from the firstoperation so that the motor is alternately reversed to produce thedesired result.

Then the holder 11 comes to rest within the pit 7 the metallic shodbottom ends of the pins are alined with the normal horizontal plane ofthe table 2, and co-incident with this alinement, the plug 16 carried bythe holder will engage the spring plates 16' and close the auxiliarycircuit a. Closing the circuit a will energize the magnet I), and hence,by the action of the lever 0, the circuit (l will be closed to start themotor A and to energize the magnets 18 carried by the table 2. The tableis then swung backward through its gear connection withthe motor A, andits magnets 18 are caused to engage the metallic cores 19' of theinverted pins 19, which are now held in position within the pit. Themagnets will thus grip the juxtaposed group of pins, and as the table isswung back to its normal position in alinement with the alley, the pinswill be carried therewith.

As the table rises to pick up the group of pins, the motor circuit 0 isbroken by disengagement of the plug 20 with the contact plates 6'.Hence, the holder is held at rest until such time as the table comes toits normal position shown in the diagram, in which position the motorcircuit a is closed to cause themotor B to lift the holder to theposition of rest shown in the diagram, whereby the mechanism completesits cycle of operations, and is again ready for play.

I claim:

1. In a bowling game having a series of pins provided with metallic basecores; the

- combination of a pin setting mechanism conrrisin a. swin in tableconstitutin a" section of the alley, a well positioned rearward of thetable, arbitrarily spotted magnets carried by the table for engagementwith the pin cores, means for swinging the table, and for energizing themagnets during such swinging, whereby down pins are discharged bygravity into the well, a second series of flexibly suspended feelermagnets arranged to enter the pit, and engage the cores of the pinscollected therem, a shiftable holder positioned over the pit forreceiving the collected pins, and means for causing the holder carryingthe collected pins to enter the' pit in position to be engaged by theswinging table magnets.

2. A pin setting mechanism comprising a pivoted table constituting therear section of a bowling alley, a well positioned rearward of thetable, pins having metal base cores, magnets carried by the table forholding the pins in spotted positions, a second series of flexiblysuspended magnets for collecting pins resting in the pit, meansassociated with the second series of magnets for spotting said pins inan inverted position within the pit, means for causing the table toswing from a position of play to an inverted position over the spottedpms within the pit, and means under control of an operator forenergizing and deenergizing each series of magnets at will.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set iny handat Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, and State. of Wisconsin, inthe presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD F. DOWN EY.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. YOUNG, M. E. DOWNEY.

